If you’re heading out on a longer vacation, there are some specific travel tips that you should pay attention to before you completely throw yourself into the upcoming journey. A long vacation in this sense might be anything that extends more than two or three weeks.

If this sounds like something coming up, consider that you might want to handle some basic storage issues back at your home base first, and this might include renting a self-storage unit, packing away your clothes, being smart about locking up your home, using weatherproof containers, and having someone in your family hold onto some of your things for a while.

Rent a Self-Storage Unit

Though you probably don’t really want to worry about crime or getting robbed while you’re away on vacation, you should at least consider it if you’re going to be gone a long time. Potential thieves will look at things like cars in the driveway or lights going on and off, and can case your place quite easily. So, if you have really expensive or important things, before you head off on your exotic, extended journey, rent a self-storage unit and a truck, and take those things there.

Pack Away Clothes

Packing away clothes is important to. If you want, you can vacuum seal clothing, especially seasonal stuff, so that your favorite digs won’t get affected by heat, humidity, dust, etc., while you’re out journeying. You might find that having this seasonal storage plan works out so well that you’ll follow similar procedures even next time you aren’t going anywhere, just because the process makes general practical sense when you’re not wearing certain outfits for an extended period.

Be Smart About Locking Up

Even if you’re just storing things in your home, if you pay attention to which things can be locked up, that’s smart. If you have cases for expensive equipment, and some locks to keep those cases secure, again – it’s better to be safe than sorry when you won’t be home for a while.

Use Weatherproof Containers

And if you have stuff stored in your basement, before you go on a long vacation, make sure to use weatherproof containers. These will most likely be the plastic or rubber ones. Imagine coming back from a vacation only to find that your basement flooded, and your storage inside cardboard boxes has been ruined!

Have Someone Keep Your Stuff Temporarily

And you can always store some of your things with the friends that you have watching your place as well. Things that are expensive or important – just have them packed away, and have good friends or family members keep them until you get back from your trip.